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State to Promote Fixed Causeway Bridge to Wary Naples Community

February 28, 2008 - The Maine Department of Transportation wants to meet again with Naples officials to discuss the department's intent to do a fixed span, town manager Derik Goodine told selectmen Monday. "They want to tell you what they would be able to offer if the bridge is done as a fixed span."


The meeting has been set up for next Monday, March 3 at 6 p.m. at the municipal building. (This meeting date is tentative; check the towns website for final confirmation.)


Selectman chairman Christine Powers said it would be sensible to weigh the full value of all the options. "Let's at least see what they have to offer," she said.


The manager said he understood that there may be some extra resources made available for coordination of adjacent highway-related and possible town-related projects, should the department design a much cheaper fixed span. Currently, the project boundaries for repair and blending of design elements extend only a little way past either end of the planned span.


Originally, an $11 million drawbridge was proposed, to replace the cranky, aging, swing bridge, which has been in place since the 1950s. However, designers found out recently that the cost of such a span would really run all the way up to $18 million. As much as any state department, the MDOT is strapped for resources, and, due to long-term underfunding and steeply rising costs, the MDOT has fallen behind in its statewide bridge replacement program. $18 million is no longer an option for this funding cycle -- and it seems likely that a drawbridge will never be built. And even replacing the current Bay of Naples bridge with a new swinging bridge would cost $14 million or so.


So, the project could be put off and their swinging bridge put in place, if that project could be supported by more state funding in coming years. Meanwhile the current, balky bridge could cease to function. The only options advanced to do the project in this biennium are an $8.5 million rehab -- which the MDOT says would last only 20 years -- and a fixed span project, to cost $6 million, at the outside. All of the new bridge options have an 80 year projected lifespan.


The resources-strapped MDOT has indicated a preference for the cheaper, fixed bridge option. At a January 30 public hearing, however, Naples area citizens spoke up loudly in favor of a moving bridge, so that the historic 45-mile waterway can be kept open to the largest boats, including the Songo River Queen II and all tall sailboats. The MDOT says a fixed bridge would be built taller, so that 80% to 90% of the boats that use it now, could pass under it - still "navigable" to most, even though the bridge would never open.


The MDOT makes the ultimate decision, but it must consider public input. Other area town leaders will also be surveyed by MDOT planners.


Goodine said he understood that there was "a grassroot roots campaign" with a petition drive saying that "the town will not accept a fixed bridge."


When plans were developed informally in the past, business owner Dan Allen contended, the state "reneged" on its end of the bargain. Early negotiations generated concessions from the town, which agreed to go with one closed summer season, due to the use of a non-moving temporary span. Not having to build a temporary moving bridge saved the state $3 million. In return for this concession, Naples representatives felt that other project advantages should result, Goodine indicated. More work on the surrounding infrastructure was discussed. But, over the course of time, the fixed temporary span remained a key element of the plan, while the project boundaries have shrunk, along with the value of the available funds.

The Bridgton News, Feb 28, 2008

Lakes: Brandy Pond, Long Lake, Sebago Lake
Regions: Sebago


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